Guide For First Time Train Travelers In India

Travelling by train is quite an amazing and exciting experience, which you should explore once in your lifetime. Travelling by train is much better than travelling by bus, specially when you are in India. Train is recommended more than bus if the travelling journey is going to be long, which may include travelling overnight as well. India is known to have the largest rail network as well as the busiest. Around the country there are about 7000 railway stations.

So to make your first time train experience in India easy and smooth, in this article you will find some of the quintessential guidelines.

When you are travelling in India through trains, you may not have to consider language as a huge barrier, especially if you are known with English. As there is a high possibility that some or the other passengers along with you, in the train compartment would be known with English. The train inspectors who come to check your ticket also speaks in English.

You can also book your tickets with the foreigners’ quota, which will be helpful to you, as you will get to have more of passengers travelling with you with the same quota, in same compartment.

Also while travelling through train, you could have delivery of food in trains booked beforehand, particularly when you are going on a long journey which includes overnight stay. You could also carry along your food packed from hotel, whatever is comfortable for you.

Feel free to talk to people who are in the same compartment as you. As you will get to learn quite some interesting things, and most of the people in India are friendly. This will make your journey more happening.

Carry a small bag along, which can store your passport, laptop, and wallet. So you can keep all such important things around you all the time, even while going to bathroom you will be able to carry it with you. As why take any risk, even though most people might be honest, but you never know.

Wear comfortable clothes, and shoes which are easily removable, as you wouldn’t find any changing rooms on trains. The bathrooms are comparatively small, so most of the people prefer to sleep without changing into their pajamas. But surely you can still anyways carry your toothbrush and pajamas.

Don’t flaunt around any of your expensive items. Also while travelling through trains in India, take along with you some sanitizer, Lysol wipes, hand soap, and toilet paper in your hand bag.

Have some Indian currency, with small denominations and keep it where they can be reached easily, like your pockets. So this way, whenever you need anything, you won’t have to take out all the money you have.

Try and travel through Rajdhani or Shatabdi trains, as they are air-conditioned, and comfortable, also they are quite fast.

To avoid any feeling of nausea, try to keep some ginger or mint candies, or chewing gums handy.

Some may find it to be a challenging experience, whereas some may be wondering about how their experience is going to be, to travel first time in India through trains. Hope these guidelines are helpful to the tourists who are planning to travel in India via trains for the very first time.